Chapter 125: Framed Concubine Shu
For three consecutive days, Jun Zechen came to Kunning Palace every day with great anticipation, but was sent away by Su Jingyao on the grounds of being unwell.
Today, Su Jingyao felt that she was feeling much better, so she resumed her daily morning greetings.
After she had carefully washed and dressed herself up in Kunning Palace, she walked out gracefully and sat on the phoenix chair.
The concubines below stood in a row and greeted in unison: "Your concubines pay their respects to the Empress, may the Empress be blessed with good health."
Su Jingyao's face was calm and her expression was extremely indifferent. She just said softly, "Everyone, get up."
After a short pause, Su Jingyao announced slowly, "Today I have another announcement. I am three months pregnant. From now on, I will only greet you once every five days."
Some well-informed concubines had roughly known about the Queen's pregnancy when the Queen asked the imperial physician three days ago, and now they looked calm.
Those concubines who were not well-informed were all surprised. The empress, who already had the eldest prince, was pregnant again.
After quickly coming to their senses, they all congratulated in unison: "Congratulations, Her Majesty, on being pregnant with the royal heir."
"Since all the concubines from the palace are here today, I will also tell you what happened three days ago."
At this time, Concubine Lin, who was sitting below Concubine Shu, had a slight gleam in her eyes, and seemed to feel a little guilty.
Concubine Xian sat on the right hand side of the Empress, with an expression that showed she was enjoying the show.
Oh, these new women in the palace really have no idea of the Queen's methods.
He keeps doing evil things every day, and sooner or later the queen will deal with him quietly.
Now, with the Third Prince by her side and the Empress at her back, she is truly enjoying smooth sailing in the harem.
only……
There is also the third prince's biological mother, Concubine Chu, who is particularly unsightly in the palace.
Thinking of this, Concubine Xian looked at Lady Chu with an undisguised rudeness in her eyes.
Su Jingyao paused, then scanned the faces of the concubines with her stern eyes like a torch.
"Three days ago, the flower room sent me some chrysanthemums from my palace. They smelled like musk. I inhaled it every day and almost had a miscarriage."
When Concubine Xian heard this, an expression of extreme surprise immediately appeared on her face and she exclaimed.
"Oh my god, there is such a daring person in the palace who dares to openly murder the royal heir. The Queen will definitely investigate and punish him severely."
Then, Concubine Xian glanced at Concubine Shu with a hint of ill intent, and there was a strange light flashing in her eyes.
"But I heard that the chrysanthemums in this greenhouse were carefully cultivated by Concubine Shu. Why are Concubine Shu's chrysanthemums fine, but the Empress's chrysanthemums smell like musk?"
Concubine Xian asked bluntly, staring at Concubine Shu as she spoke, as if she wanted to see some clues from her face.
Shufei was sitting on the left side of the empress. When she heard what Xianfei said, her brows furrowed tightly.
There was a hint of anxiety and grievance on his face, and he was about to open his mouth to defend himself.
At this time, Concubine Lin also said with a hint of sarcasm: "Yes, Sister Xianfei, my sisters only found out today that the Empress is pregnant."
"Who is so capable that he knew the Empress was pregnant so long in advance?"
After saying this, he looked at Concubine Shu meaningfully.
When Concubine Shu heard Concubine Xian and Concubine Lin singing the same tune, she suddenly felt extremely aggrieved and her eyes became slightly red.
"Your Majesty, I asked the people in the greenhouse to cultivate chrysanthemums because I really like them."
Concubine Shu said eagerly, her eyes full of sincerity.
"Although Yuehui Kingdom has chrysanthemums, there are not as many varieties as in Jun Kingdom, and some varieties of chrysanthemums are majestic and gorgeous."
She continued to explain.
"I have just arrived in your Majesty's kingdom, and I don't know if I can cultivate the flowers I like. I asked for your Majesty's opinion when I accompanied you in the Palace of Heavenly Purity, and then I ordered the flower room to cultivate them."
Shufei's voice trembled slightly, and she paused here.
"I have never interfered with the work of the palace maids in the greenhouse, and I have never added any so-called musk to the chrysanthemums."
When Concubine Shu finished speaking, tears welled up in her eyes. She stood up from her seat and knelt down to pay her respects.
"I beg for your wise counsel, Your Majesty." Her expression was extremely sincere and her tone was full of pleading.
Jun Zechen, who had just walked to the door of the main hall, happened to hear Concubine Shu say that she had ordered people to cultivate chrysanthemums with his consent.
Jun Zechen's face suddenly darkened unconsciously.
He came to Kunning Palace today to let all the concubines in the palace see that he would severely punish anyone who attempted to harm the empress.
He came over to support Yaoyao.
Jun Zechen strode in, and when Su Jingyao saw him, a flash of surprise flashed across her eyes.
Then she got down from the phoenix chair and said, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you." Su Jingyao bowed slightly in greeting.
The other concubines also stood up and said in unison: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you."
Jun Zechen walked quickly to Su Jingyao, bent down as usual, and prepared to hold Su Jingyao's hand to help her up.
Su Jingyao's hand subconsciously retracted.
Jun Zechen's eyes suddenly darkened, as deep as a cold pond, and then the big hand still held her wrist unquestionably and domineeringly.
"Everyone, get up." Jun Zechen's voice was low and powerful.
When the concubines got up, they saw His Majesty holding the Empress's hand and walking to the Phoenix Chair. The palace maids of Kunning Palace also very tactfully moved another chair to the side of the Phoenix Chair.
They sat down together.
"I came here today to deal with the murder of the Queen."
Jun Zechen narrowed his eyes slightly, looking down sharply at the concubines below, his tone light but with a hint of majesty.
When Concubine Lin heard this, a look of excitement appeared on her face for a moment.
If Your Majesty finds out that it was Concubine Shu who used musk to harm the Empress, what will Your Majesty choose between the new favorite and the old love?
The corners of her mouth curled up slightly, with a barely perceptible hint of schadenfreude.
Jun Zechen's sharp gaze fell directly on Concubine Shu like a sword, and his expression was grim.
He said in a deep voice: "Shu Fei, do you admit your guilt?"
Concubine Shu had just been sitting peacefully in the chair, and she secretly breathed a sigh of relief when she saw His Majesty coming.
But when she heard His Majesty's cold and stern question, her heart suddenly rose to her throat and she became tense.
I haven't done anything, so what crime have I committed?
Concubine Shu hurriedly stood up and squatted respectfully, with a hint of panic and grievance in her voice.
"Your Majesty, please explain clearly. I don't know."
Her eyes were filled with tears, and she looked at Jun Zechen with an innocent and pitiful look, as if praying that he would believe her.
Jun Zechen's expression remained unchanged, he just said calmly: "Call the maid Bihe up."
An Shun, who was standing by, immediately understood and winked at the eunuch at the door, signaling to let Bihe enter the hall.
The palace maid Bihe looked panicked and timid.
Under the gaze of all the high and mighty masters in the hall, she bent her waist and walked to the center of the hall with trembling steps.
"Your Majesty, your servant, pays homage to the Empress." Her voice was trembling slightly.
When Concubine Shu saw Bihe, she did not recognize her. Instead, it was her personal maid Xiaoxuan who recognized her first.
"Bihe?" Xiaoxuan's tone was filled with doubt.
When Concubine Shu heard Xiaoxuan's question, her face changed and she looked at Xiaoxuan with confusion.
Xiaoxuan explained to Concubine Shu in a low voice: "My Lord, Bihe is a second-class maid in our Yongning Palace."
When Concubine Shu looked at the palace maid summoned by His Majesty, she suddenly felt a chill in her heart.
She had a strong premonition that the maid of honor would say something unfavorable to her next.
"Your Majesty, the Empress, I only ran into the Empress before at the rockery in the Yu Garden. At that time, the Empress was holding her stomach in a deserted place, and she even vomited a little."
Bihe spoke in a low voice and did not dare to raise her head.
"After seeing this, I did not dare to publicize this matter, so I returned to Yongning Palace."
She continued, trembling slightly, "One day, it was very late, and I was chatting with the palace maid Qinghe. Seeing that it was late at night and there was no one around, I whispered to her about the scene when I unexpectedly saw the empress."
Bihe paused when she said this.
"I never thought of murdering the empress. At that time, I and Qinghe both felt that someone had appeared, but it was late at night and I didn't see who it was."
At this moment, Bihe's eyes flickered when she said this. She kept her head down and didn't dare to look at any of the high-ranking masters.
As Concubine Shu listened to Bihe's seemingly unintentional but actually suggestive words, she felt her heart sinking deeper and deeper, as if she had fallen into a bottomless abyss.
Her face gradually turned pale and her lips trembled slightly.
"Your Majesty, I am not aware of this. I really do not know this maid. Your Majesty must not listen to her one-sided words."
As Concubine Shu spoke anxiously, her eyes revealed confusion and helplessness.
His voice gradually became choked, with slight sobbing sounds coming from his throat.
At this moment, she was recalling her childhood memories.
She is the legitimate princess of Yuehui Kingdom. Her mother has always doted on her and has never let her come into contact with too many dark calculations since she was a child.
Because her mother had always stressed that she only needed to please the emperor.
According to her mother's teachings, if the emperor of Jun Kingdom wanted to kill her, it was very likely that he was planning to attack Yuehui Kingdom.
But if the Kingdom of Kings always wants to maintain friendly diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Yuehui, then even if she makes a mistake, His Majesty will certainly not punish her easily.
The Queen Mother hoped that she could live happily and freely, because her life was destined from the beginning to marry into a foreign country and leave her hometown to fulfill her mission as a princess.
After entering the palace, Concubine Shu had always held a high position and was deeply favored. No concubine had ever plotted against her so blatantly.
She thought the harem could be a home where she could feel safe and secure for the rest of her life.
However, today was the first time she faced the complicated conspiracies and schemes of the harem so directly.
For a moment, she didn't even know how to defend herself. She twisted the corners of her clothes tightly with her hands, her eyes full of confusion and helplessness.